


Opportune Footsteps

by Rysler



Category: One Life to Live
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-20
Updated: 2011-04-20
Packaged: 2017-10-18 10:02:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/187724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rysler/pseuds/Rysler
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tea's got a short time to try new things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Opportune Footsteps

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers through June 22, 2010

Blair arranged flowers in a vase, stealing a rare moment of quiet that had settled over the mansion. She hadn't seen Starr in a while. Hopefully with Cole out of jail they were patching things up. Langston was off crying somewhere--learning that betrayal came with a cost--a lesson Blair had hoped the next generation wouldn't learn.

The Cramer DNA was potent. And she had been quite the role model for these young girls.

Betrayal, of course, made her think of Tea. A smile came to Blair's lips and just as quickly faded.

Tea.

Blair should have cared for her more--Especially after they almost died in each other's arms. But before that, too. Instead of wrestling until one of them ended up in a hospital and the other in jail, they should have--

Especially since the big secret had come out. Danielle. A daughter Blair would die for.

Blair considered that she hadn't properly taken advantage of the time she spent living with Tea. Todd's inane stubbornness and Tea's ability to infuriate her just with the lowering of an eyelid had continually dashed the glimpses, the hopes that Blair had for something else.

Something better than courtroom custody battles and broken glass.

Something more like all the family breakfasts they'd shared, the three adults and their beautiful, far more mature children. Blair should have drugged Todd so that he could deal with Cole. And she should have been honest enough with herself to cope with Tea.

Now that Danielle and Kelly were in town, Blair had a desire to recreate that home again. This time, she'd act on what she felt. She wouldn't let Tea dissuade her. She wanted a second chance. She deserved one.

So did Tea. Tea deserved all the chances in the world.

Blair's bout of heartsickness would have coalesced into weeping if she hadn't been interrupted. The front door was flung open and there were footsteps in the foyer. Light, prickling footsteps. Blair sighed. Security at La Boulaie had really gone down since Shaun was off following Kelly around. That was a worthless use of resources, in Blair's opinion.

Tea, mistress of Blair's thoughts herself, strode into the sitting room. She wore her trenchcoat--the one Blair loved even though it was nearly a hundred degrees outside. Blair tried not to think about why.

Blair asked, acidly, "Well, why don't you come in, Tea? So nice to see you."

"Don't give me that. I know what you're thinking." Tea folded her arms.

"Oh, you do?" Blair asked.

Tea narrowed her eyes.

Blair knew the heat of being cross-examined by Tea Delgado on the stand. She felt it now, warming her skin and threatening to burn. So Tea was already on the offensive already. So frustrating. Blair would not let herself get provoked this time, just to prove some wild point inside Tea's tumor-addled brain.

Okay, that wasn't cool. But Blair was determined not to be the bad guy this time just because that was her role. Just because that's what Tea expected of her. Tea had probably come here to get yelled at or argued out of or into something. Why else would she come, Blair asked herself bitterly.

Blair chose to argue Tea into something this afternoon. She didn't have to read Tea's mind. She knew her own mind, and she had made it up.

Tea said, "You're thinking about lost opportunities. Well, so am I."

Tea spoke in absolutes, but she was pale and there were beads of sweat already forming along her hairline. Blair hadn't thought the signs of illness would come so soon. Or maybe it was just because Blair knew. She must know all of Tea's secrets by now.

That must mean something. After all, she'd been the first to know. She swallowed.

Tea said, "You know, Blair. There were a thousand things I wanted to do before I died. Some of them, I would like to do with you." She poked Blair right in the chest.

"You would?"

Tea rolled her eyes. "Yes. I would."

"All right. You're on."

Blair smiled smugly, but wondered if that was enough. If speaking in such absolutes actually worked when there was so much fear and bullshit behind the words.

Tea stepped closer, into Blair's personal space, and said, "You haven't heard what they are yet."

"But I can imagine."

"You wish."

The words came right against Blair's throat. She settled her hands on Tea's hips.

Tea tilted her head back and grinned up at her. She looked--

Alive. Vibrant. Something for Blair to hold onto and remember for the next thirty years of her life. She willed her eyes not to fill with tears. She willed herself to be more like Tea.

Blair said, "Try me."

Tea studied Blair's lips. Blair tried not to speak, and thus move them. She tried not to shift, or purse, or dampen. She tried not to breathe.

"I think I will," Tea said.

Blair breathed.

Tea cupped the back of Blair's head and drew her down for a kiss.

A perfect kiss.

Blair closed her eyes and held still against Tea's lips. She waited for interruption. For Todd, of all people, to walk in.

Or Dorian. That would suck.

Or Kelly--

Blair snarled and kissed Tea harder, putting pressure against her mouth until Tea surrendered--what a lovely, heart-pounding sensation that was--and parted her lips. Blair slipped in and there was Tea's tongue. That sharp tongue that had brought Blair's life so much fire, now warm and small and smooth, caressing hers.

Beckoning.

Blair pulled back. "We can't do this." Just to say it.

Tea arched her eyebrows.

Blair sighed. "Well, okay, we can't do this here."

Tea stepped back, smirked, and offered her hand.

Blair took it. She let Tea lead her to her own bedroom.

This was not charity. This was not pity. This was not helping Tea ease toward the unthinkable.

This, she decided, was the opportunity of a lifetime.

END


End file.
